


Covert Operation

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Community: purimgifts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-10
Updated: 2009-03-10
Packaged: 2017-10-03 00:02:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year, Willow has one winter ritual that matters more than any other. Pre-series. Written for wisdomeagle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Covert Operation

Step One is to hide the _TV Guide._

Willow Rosenberg has tried several _TV Guide-_hiding strategies, but the most successful, ironically, is to simply put the magazine under all the _other_ magazines on the toilet tank. When the _TV Guide_ has been successfully hidden, her parents will be blissfully unaware of the week's programming. They'll flip channels, and eventually settle on something-- usually a sitcom. Mom and Dad like sitcoms. Somebody has to.

This is Willow's chance.

Step Two is to decide that whatever's on TV is boring and that she'd rather be reading in her room. This is the easiest step, as Willow does this practically every night, unless something really interesting is on.

Something good's on tonight, but not at the Rosenberg house.

Step Three is even easier: shut the door and play music. Jewish music is best this time of year; that way they don't get too suspicious. She's part of the tribe. She's embracing her heritage.

She's the Worst Jew Ever, but she thinks it's okay if she is just this _one night._

Step Four is opening the window to her room as quietly as possible. Aside from hiding the TV Guide-- which is really more a matter of strategy than skill-- it is the hardest part of the whole operation. For this reason, Willow spends the week before oiling the window with Crisco.

By March, the window will smell a little funny, but Mom just blames it on spring when she bothers coming into Willow's room; never mind that they're in California and spring is subtle at best. Anyway, the smell is well worth it for the slow, gentle motion as the window slides open.

From then on, it's easy. Sometimes she forgets her slippers, which is dumb, and sometimes she forgets to put her coat on when it's warm, but it's okay. It's a quick walk to Xander's house, she just has to watch out for the occasional big rock or broken beer bottle.

The odds of a beer bottle get higher as she gets closer to Xander's house, but they don't talk about that. They never talk about that.

They don't need to. It's just a fact, something they pass between them unspoken.

Xander is always waiting for her. Sometimes he has popcorn.

"What took you so long?" he grins.

"I'll tell you," she grins back. "But only if you do the Snoopy Dance."


End file.
